Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Irony Deficient

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  • Jackson James Wood,

    Josh and I would love to do a satire show. Can somebody make this happen?

    New Zealand • Since May 2011 • 21 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth,

    To observe that Green MP Gareth Hughes put a Members Bill into the last ballot to allow use of copyright work for parody and satire.

    (With the new system for the ballot, bills go online shortly after they are entered into the ballot.)

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Phil Lyth,

    To observe that Green MP Gareth Hughes put a Members Bill into the last ballot to allow use of copyright work for parody and satire.

    Ah, yes. I meant to include that in the post, so thanks.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Jackson James Wood,

    Josh and I would love to do a satire show. Can somebody make this happen?

    Lordy, that *would* be good.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Anonymous Author,

    Terifferric post title.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2010 • 64 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    I’d have to say that satire in NZ has probably been crowd/cloud-sourced.

    Maybe there needs to be something that shocks and disgusts on the scale of the Sex Pistols’ 1976 “Filth And The Fury” interview to put things back on the map. In my case for example, my salute to Jonathan Swift just needs wider exposure.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    A lot of people don't find satire funny.

    Come to that, a lot of people don't find funny funny. They see a programme like 'The Office' with those nasty, nasty characters and assume it's advocacy for that worldview.

    I think this comes from the US, where they have the concept of comedy being a group of usually attractive people behaving in an anodyne way with a hysterical laugh track.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    When the mood seizes them, Danyl McLachlan, Scott Yorke and Lyndon Hood all write political satire as good as anything in the New Zealand tradition.

    No mention of David Haywood.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Pete Sime,

    A regular dose of satire doesn’t even have to be that expensive. John Clarke and Alan Dawe do a weekly mock interview on the ABC against a black background.It's simple, but good.

    Dunedin • Since Apr 2008 • 171 posts Report Reply

  • Andre Alessi,

    Fairburn used to live in Devonport. This proves something, I'm not sure what, but it definitely proves something.

    Devonport, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 864 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    We need some successors to Lorae Parry's and Pinky Agnew's Helen and Jenny too. Imagine what you could do with some of those National Party women.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Deliberate. David H always insists that his work is humour, not satire. But truth be known, he has written satire here. So let's dragoon him in.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Geoff Lealand,

    What a great topic. The problem is that we have such a surfeit of self-satirising around--from Key's and Bank's selective amnesia, to Dotcom's antics.

    But don't forget you have Jose. With a bit more exposure and taller heels, he could become our local Charlie Brooker. And then there is Ian Dalziel and David H,

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report Reply

  • David Ritchie,

    a group of usually attractive people behaving in an anodyne way with a hysterical laugh track

    I'd like to offer MASH, Cheers and Seinfeld as popular, well-regarded counter-examples to this.

    Since Nov 2006 • 166 posts Report Reply

  • Myles Thomas,

    What are you saying? We have two of the best satire shows in the country playing on TV every night at 6 (also Shortland Street). Equally several great satirical print publications are printed each day around the country. And there is plenty more everywhere you care to look. The problem for all of them is that for satire to work, at some point the audience has to be let in on the joke - a laugh track, a lie too ludicrous to conceive or a big banner saying SATIRE!

    Although our "news" media is often laughable, this country's greatest satirists are currently deep in their own mirth and wondering at what point they will let the cat out of the bag. Perhaps when 'Breakfast TV' moves to 7pm, the joke will finally have been shared with us all.

    Auckland • Since Apr 2011 • 130 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson, in reply to David Ritchie,

    I’d like to offer MASH, Cheers and Seinfeld as popular, well-regarded counter-examples to this.

    Too right, that chick Klinger was bloody ugly.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    the hard stuff – satire, and particularly political satire – is basically absent

    Wonder why? Not on TVNZ ?
    Hmmmm, a quandary for sure

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Jackson James Wood, in reply to Russell Brown,

    We think so. We pretty much have a pitch ready to go.

    New Zealand • Since May 2011 • 21 posts Report Reply

  • Simon Bennett,

    I suspect that satire, with its savagery and tendency to cause offence, tends to be worrying to TV networks with a purely commercial imperative.

    By its very nature, commercial TV is risk-averse and satire by its very nature is risky. If any satire were to be programmed, I can see nervous commissioners insisting the 'funny' level be turned up to 11 - thereby rendering said programme unfunny and blatant.

    I firmly believe that this issue of gatekeepers (whether producers or network execs), who have no actual expertise in the area, yet become arbiters as to what is or isn't funny, is one of the blights that has afflicted NZ TV comedy across the decades.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 174 posts Report Reply

  • Phil Lyth, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Ah, yes. I meant to include that in the post, so thanks.

    Good to know that some real people, as opposed to a few politics anoraks like me, take an interest in the Proposed Bills page listing members bills in the ballot.

    Wellington • Since Apr 2009 • 458 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Simon Bennett,

    By its very nature, commercial TV is risk-averse and satire by its very nature is risky.

    Which is why Clarke & Dawe survive on public service TV.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    I think some of the best satire draws from utterly indefensible content (The Onion is full of horrible, hilarious things) and for a lot of writers its just too fine a line. You can't be a deadpan bigot as your audience will a) think you're a bigot and hate you b)think you're a bigot and love you or c) think your humour is unwise because of groups a and b being too stupid to pick up on the irony.

    I don't know what my point is here.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Samuel Scott,

    For instance, this is a horrible piece of disgusting, offensive humour;
    http://www.theonion.com/articles/no-one-murdered-because-of-this-image,29553/

    it is pretty funny too. But could so easily just be offensive.

    South Wellington • Since Feb 2008 • 315 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    public service TV

    Maori TV here, then.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Simon Bennett,

    insisting the 'funny' level be turned up to 11 - thereby rendering said programme unfunny and blatant

    Melody Rules, etc

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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